Through computer analysis, scientists have developed a more objective way of analysing the social behaviour of fruit flies, which could lead to insights into the genetic and neurological mechanisms underlying our own social behaviour. (Photo credit: John Tann, via Flickr)
A new computer-based tool for analyzing the social behaviour of fruit flies and could tell us more about how genes affect social behaviour. Previous studies of social behaviour in fruit flies relied on researchers to judge for themselves what constituted a true social interaction.
The computer method uses machine vision to analyze the distance between the flies, their angle of orientation and how long they hold the pose. The technique was used to demonstrate that mutations affecting the ability of the flies to smell and taste also had significant effects on their social interactions.
The authors suggest that the method could be applied to any type of animal interaction. They also note that research of this type could help decode the genetic and neurological mechanisms that underlie social behaviour.
Original research paper published in Biology Letters on October 28, 2014.
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